Got my last tubes made and welded in, really happy with the strength and safety at this point.

Those little tabs are for the remote chokes. I've only had a torch for about six months and keep forgetting I have the thing...got to use it to shape the rear of the tube to match the curve of the subframe.

SFKLR came over and helped me swap the springs out of the forks. Glad he did as it took three of his hands and three of mine...these aren't simple KLR forks. Went with 15 weight fork oil as that was the heaviest I could find nearby.

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Be sure the safest rule is that we should not dare to live in any scene in which we dare not die. ~Lewis Carroll~

Nice I was looking at the first pics thinking he needs a diagonal from the bottom of the Honda frame back to the transmission (??) point. Where the original tube lands mid tube isn't doing much, glad you figured and welded it in the 30 seconds it took me to scroll, man you're fast.

Are those regular dirt wheels on the front? Only reason I ask is that I had Woodys build me a 950 front for my FZ. Heavy spokes, Excel rim etc.

On my new project I'm wondering if I can get away with a standard dirt wheel. I have YZ450 wheels but man do the spokes look puny. Every wheel builder says I'm nuts to even think about using a 450 wheel. So I'm leaning towards spending the money again and getting a built wheel. I have to imagine your build is going to come in heavier than mine at #350. Is it not in the budget or are you simply going to run it and see if it breaks/upgrade later type deal?

Just an FYI timing issue, I also had a hard deadline for the Eastern Rendezvous and thought I was well in hand. Nope. Pulled 48 hours straight no sleep and left still having not slept for the 8 hour ride. The little things you'll need to redo 14 times before you need to leave eat an enormous amount of time, energy and patience.

I would also HIGHLY suggest you don't finish the frame before you go. Esp being in the dry climate like you are, it is nice to be able to reweld something or add a bracket/tab whatever without having to remove paint or powder.

Does the front end of those biikes really weigh that much? By going my route on the new bike I'm taking it from #390 to I figure about 350 from losing weight in the wheels, plastic, tank, swingarm and going to an aluminum subframe and minimal creature comforts, no gauges etc. Just wondering where you got your figures is all.

I'm seriously not going to be railing this bike like it's something it isn't. My stalled Bandit project got Warp 9 hoops and huge spokes from Buchannan, I plan to jump that bike and beat the hell out of it. It's kind of funny that the XRR spokes are within .2mm of the original GS spokes.

Yes, serious time crunch here. Nice to see another fabber stop in and understand what the hell I'm talking about. I worship those chopper shows where they build a bike in 10 days with a 2 or 3 man team, it's much harder than it looks.

I got my weight numbers by weighing myself with each part that I took off the GS, forgot to weigh the battery...I think the stocker is 14 pounds and the one I'm putting back in weighs 2 pounds 5 ounces...so I'm up to 160 pounds off of the bike or so. I will weigh the stuff going back on the bike to get a final number before fuel.

I've been using the chop saw tube notching method, wish I had a lathe and one of those bits you see on TV.

Try and finish a week early, seriously. That way parts you'll need can get there in time for the departure.

About the painting I was simply suggesting putting down some miles on the setup first then paint it once you're sure it's solid and nothing needs to change. I'm so glad I decided not to paint my bike yet (actually going to powdercoat the bike) and have ridden it all summer. There's a few things I'm going to move and redo. Course if you've done all the thinking ahead of time no reason not to strip it down and paint it.

Good work on those rear tubes, that looks a lot better.

When's the trip?

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We're not out here to rough it. We're here to smooth it. Things are rough enough in town.

Try and finish a week early, seriously. That way parts you'll need can get there in time for the departure.

About the painting I was simply suggesting putting down some miles on the setup first then paint it once you're sure it's solid and nothing needs to change. I'm so glad I decided not to paint my bike yet (actually going to powdercoat the bike) and have ridden it all summer. There's a few things I'm going to move and redo. Course if you've done all the thinking ahead of time no reason not to strip it down and paint it.

Good work on those rear tubes, that looks a lot better.

When's the trip?

Wasted some time on the crash bars, gonna put that off to the end if there is time, same thing with the custom muffler...I can slam the cat back on really quick for the exhuast if I run out of time.

I don't think I'll have any do-over work, but I might forget a tab here and there, so I'm going with paint for easy touch up. The chance of rain and snow is very high for this trip and I hate cleaning up a rusty mess.

I want to be riding it by Halloween...it is a Zombie afterall.

Shake down trip by myself is set for Nov 9-13, this isn't an absolute must, but it is my goal. Main trip where I don't want to kill us both starts November 19th.

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Be sure the safest rule is that we should not dare to live in any scene in which we dare not die. ~Lewis Carroll~

I was planning to do a custom airbox from the start, but with the extra tubes on top my air filter doesn't fit. I think that by accident the stock airbox might still fit...it's time to rip the frame off the engine for final welding/paint and I can see if the airbox will squeeze in there.

Kind of cool that I can still mock up the seats and tank to the frame when it's off the engine. Going to have to change where I was going to put the coil with the airbox back in the mix.

Put an email into Motion Pro for the throttle and cables, I don't have time to build my own system from parts and I don't think it's a good idea to only use the stock pull cables, Mikuni advises to go push/pull all the way to the carb to prevent a high vacuum slide opening ie; hung throttle.

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Be sure the safest rule is that we should not dare to live in any scene in which we dare not die. ~Lewis Carroll~

I'm seeing them on top of a snorkle. Actually I was thinking of putting them where the air box would go and running tubing to the carbs. They'd take less room than the airbox if you have trouble fitting it. Just a thought.

Sounds like we probably passed each other saturday. I'm anxious to see this beastie. Looks cool in the photos. I'll have to wait 'til halloween weekend I guess.

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A genius is the one most like himself. - T. Monk via S. Lacy